Ing electrode holder

ABSTRACT

THE ELECTRODE HOLDER ACCORDING TO THIS INVENTION COMPRISES A ONE -PIECE CAP DESIGNED FOR FITTING BY SNAP ACTION TO THE HEAD OF THE CONDUCTING MEMBER OF THE ELECTRODE HOLDER BY SIMPLY SLIPPING SAID CAP OVER SAID HEAD, WITHOUT ANY RISK OF UNTIMELY RELEASING SAID CAP. THIS CAP CONSISTS PREFERABLY OF AN ELEMENT MOLDED FROM THERMOSETTING POLYMERIZED SYNTHETIC, INSULATING AND HEATRESISTING MATERIAL, WHICH HAS EMBEDDED THEREIN ONE PORTION OF A SPRING BLADE HAVING ITS FREE END ADAPTED, WHEN THE CAP IS FITTED IN POSITION, AUTOMATICALLY TO ENGAGE AND LOCK A RETAINING SHOULDER FORMED ON THE SURFACE OF THE CONDUCTING MEMBER.

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Priority Lalo Chiche 13, rue de la Coussaye, 95, Enghien-les- Bains, Val dOise, France Apr. 17, 1970 Aug. 3, 1971 Apr. 25, 1969 France ARC-WELDING ELECTRODE HOLDER 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl."

Field of Search 12/1944 Bernard References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,432,019 12/1947 Koinzan 2,889,447 6/1959 Runkel Primary Examiner-.l. V. Truhe Assistant Examiner-Gale R. Peterson Artorney- Linton & Linton ABSTRACT: The electrode holder according to this invention comprises a one-piece cap designed for fitting by snap action to the head of the conducting member of the electrode holder by simply slipping said cap over said head, without any risk of untimely releasing said cap. This cap consists preferably of an element molded from thennosetting polymerized synthetic, insulating and heat-resisting material, which has embedded therein one portion of a spring blade having its free end adapted, when the cap is fitted in position, automatically to engage and lock a retaining shoulder formed on the surface of the conducting member.

PATENTED AUG 3l97| 3 597,581

LALO CH/C'HE HTT'ORNEVS ARC-WELDING ELECTRODE HOLDER This invention relates to arc-welding electrode holders of the general type comprising a current lead-in member having a bent head of which the shank is mounted inside a rectilinear insulating handle or grip, the arc-welding'receiving head being housed in an insulating cap adapted to be secured to the remaining portion of the electrode holder.

ln known electrode holders of this type the cap as a rule is 5 split or consists of two sections constituting half-caps or shells fitting in recesses formed in the head of the conducting member, about this member, said half-caps engaging each other along joint planes containing-the head axis, and being retained in their assembled condition by an endless collar fitted to the ends of said half-caps.

This structure involves the use of complicated components having well-defined configurations and therefore the replacement of a damaged cap constitutes an intricate operationv it is the essential object of this invention to provide an electrode holder of the bent-head type which is perfectly reliable in actual service while permitting an easy and rapid replacement of a damaged, worn or otherwise useless cap.

To this end, the electrode holder according to this invention is characterized essentially in that it comprises a one-piece cap designed for fitting by snap action to the head of the conducting member of the electrode holder by simply slipping said cap over said head, without any risk of untimely releasing said cap.

This cap consists preferably of an element molded from thermosetting polymerized synthetic, insulating and heat-re sisting material, which has embedded therein one portion of a spring blade having its free end adapted, when the cap is fitted in position, automatically to engage and lock a retaining shoulder formed on the surface of the conducting member.

Moreover, this cap is advantageously provided with one or a plurality of longitudinal inner ventilation grooves communicating on the one hand with a small lateral orifice formed at the junction between said cap and the handle or grip, and on the other hand with inner ventilation grooves formed in the inner surface of the insulating handle or grip.

The conducting member comprises preferably a V-shaped surface projection adapted to fit into a corresponding seat formed in the insulating handle or grip. In order toafford a clearer understanding of this invention, a typical form of embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the attached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial section showing the head portion of an electrode holder according to this invention;

F IG. 2 is an elevational view of a handle body adapted to constitute the extension of the handle portion illustrated in MG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view from above of the head end of the handle;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the front end of the conducting member, and

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the cap.

In the example illustrated in the drawing the conducting member having a bent head comprises a tubular rectilinear shank 1 having at its front end an extension of U-shaped crosssectional contour constituting a bent head 2 in which the jaw 3 for clamping the electrode (not shown) is pivotally mounted by means of a transverse pin 4.

The shank ii of the conducting member is housed in a hollow insulating handle or grip 5 consisting of molded thermosetting polymerized synthetic material terminating at the head end with an oblique plane 6 permitting the removal of the head 2 laterally from the insulating hollow handle 5, the rear face 7 of said handle fitting completely in the most projecting portion 8 of the adjacent end of the insulating handle 5, and being formed at its base with a shoulder adapted to bear against a corresponding inner horizontal shoulder 9 formed in said insulating handle 5.

In the reentrant angle formed by the shank l and the head 2 'of the conducting member, the latter carries just above said head a projection 10. having a V-shaped base 11 hearing against a corresponding V-shaped seat 12 formed inside the insulating handle 5 near the base of its terminal section taken along the oblique plane 6. Thus, said projection 10 of conducting member I, 2 will properly position the latter when the shank 1 is inserted into the handle piece 5 from the oblique end thereof.

The end of the conducting shank 1, made preferably of a metal having a good electrical conductivity, is screw threaded and adapted to be firmly held against movement in the handle portion 5 by screwing thereon a nut 13 formed with diametral grooves 14 and engaged in a rear-widened portion of insulating member 5, said nut abutting at the end of its screw engagement with the shank end against an inner shoulder 15 formed therein, thus safely holding the conducting member 1, 2 in said insulating member 5.

The end of the conducting shank 1 may also receive by screw engagement thereon a metal socket 16 adapted to receive in turn the current supply conductor and formed at its end opposite to the head of the electrode holder with a pair of lateral holes 17 permitting a proper connection of the current supply conductor inserted into the socket 16. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1 the socket 16 projects beyond the rear end of handle 5 but the latter has a ribbed handle body extension 18 (FIG. 2) of molded synthetic insulating material, formed with external longitudinal ribs 19 interconnected by transverse ribs 20. Between these ribs'the body 18 is formed at the front and intermediate its ends with narrow transverse slots 21 and at the rear with larger apertures 22 disposed at the same level as the insulating sheath of the inner current lead-in conductor (not shown). Furthermore, the insulating handle body 18 is formed with inner longitudinal grooves 23 advantageously prolonged within the member 5 by longitudinal grooves 24. If desired the member 5 may also comprise external longitudinal grooves 25. The handle body 18 fits around the rear end of socket l6 and is locked in relation thereto by any suitable means, such as an inner friction spring (not shown).

According to this invention, the head 2 of the conducting member is enclosed in a one-piece molded insulating cap 26 formed at its front end with an aperture 27 for engaging the welding electrode between the pivoting jaw 3 and the base of head 2, the rear end ofthis cap being open and formed with an inclined edge engaging the aforesaid oblique plane 6 so as to be connected to the head end of member 5.

Anchored and embedded in the base of said cap 26 by molding is the rear-widened end of a blade spring 28 having its free end 29 adjacent the front end of the cap normally upswept towards the axis of said cap. The lower face of the head 2 is formed, slightly back of its front end, with a transverse notch 30 forming in the forward direction a shoulder whereby, when the cap is fitted in position by slipping same on the head 2, the spring blade 28 is deflected to clear this head from beneath, and at the end of this movement thespring end 29 is snapped automatically into the aforesaid notch 30, thus retaining the cap in its mounting position and preventing the untimely or undesired removal thereof. If desired, this spring may be of generally T-shaped configuration, its transverse member constituting the portion embedded in the molded element of cap 26, the shank of the T constituting the spring blade proper urging and holding the cap in its locked position.

Inside the cap 2 a ventilation groove 31 may be formed and at the junction between the cap 26 and insulating handle 5 a small notch 32 (see FIG. 3) may be formed in one or both of these two elements at the rear end of groove 31 and possibly at the front of a groove 24 to constitute a ventilation hole com municating with the surrounding atmosphere.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the cap is assembled very simply and rapidly, and that the proper mounting position thereof is obtained automatically by snap engagement. In case the cap became useless and had to be replaced with a new one,

it is only necessary to break same with a hammer and free the head 2 to which a new cap can then be fitted as explained hereinabove.

The internal ventilation grooves formed in the insulating component elements, in combination with the lateral apertures described in the foregoing ensure the internal ventilation necessary for properly cooling the handle, but it will be readily understood that the grooves and openings could be disposed differently without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Finally, it may also be pointed out that for securing the conducting cable within the socket 16, instead of wrapping this cable with a plain brass sheet according to the current practice, the cable may be surrounded by a piece of sheet metal perforated by punching to form inturned projecting lips similar to those of a grater, to counteract any tendency of the cable to slip out from the handle.

What l claim is:

1. An arc-welding electrode holder comprising a hollow conducting member having a tubular shank and a U-sectioned head at the front end of said shank, said head forming an angle in relation to said shank and having fulcrumed therein a jaw for clamping an electrode, the end portion of said shank which is opposite to said head being screw threaded, an insulating rectilinear handle surrounding said shank and an insulating cap surrounding said head, said handle and cap having oblique surfaces permitting assembly along a transverse joint plane oblique in relation to their axes, said handle being formed with an inner shoulder engageable by a nut screwed on said screwthreaded shank portion for assembling said shank and handle, a metal socket screwed to said screw-threaded shank portion within said handle and adapted to receive the current supply conductor for connecting the holder to a source of welding current, said cap consisting of a one-piece molded element carrying internally a spring blade embedded at one end in the cap material but formed at its other end with a free portion adapted automatically to snap into a recess formed in the surface of said head for retaining said cap in position.

2. An arc-welding electrode holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conducting member has formed in the reentrant angle between said shank and said head a projection having a V-shaped base adapted to fit into a corresponding V-shaped seat formed on the end face of said handle,

3. An arc-welding electrode holder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said handle and said cap are formed with inner longitudinal ventilation grooves communicating with lateral apertures ensuring the necessary circulation of cooling air through the holder.

4. An arc-welding electrode holder as set forth in claim 3, wherein a small orifice is formed by a notch in the junction plane of said handle and cap at the reentrant angle of the elbow formed by these elements to constitute a ventilation hole communicating with the surrounding atmosphere.

5. An arc-welding electrode holder as set forth in claim 4, wherein the current supply conductor engageable in said socket screwed in said shank is surrounded therein by a piece of sheet metal perforated by punching to form inturned louvres therein, the projecting lips of said louvres being adapted to act like the projections of a grater and thus counteract any tendency of the conductor to slip out from said socket. 

2. An arc-welding electrode holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conducting member has formed in the reentrant angle between said shank and said head a projection having a V-shaped base adapted to fit into a corresponding V-shaped seat formed on the end face of said handle.
 3. An arc-welding electrode holder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said handle and said cap are formed with inner longitudinal ventilation grooves communicating with lateral apertures ensuring the necessary circulation of cooling air through the holder.
 4. An arc-welding electrode holder as set forth in claim 3, wherein a small orifice is formed by a notch in the junction plane of said handle and cap at the reentrant angle of the elbow formed by these elements to constitute a ventilation hole communicating with the surrounding atmosphere.
 5. An arc-welding electrode holder as set forth in claim 4, wherein the current supply conductor engageable in said socket screwed in said shank is surrounded therein by a piece of sheet metal perforated by punching to form inturned louvres therein, the projecting lips of said louvres being adapted to act like the projections of a grater and thus counteract any tendency of the conductor to slip out from said socket. 